Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Spinach
on Sep 23, 2024, Updated Sep 15, 2026
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With tomatoes and spinach, this roasted spaghetti squash is an easy vegetarian dinner. The squash and cherry tomatoes go on separate sheet pans in the oven. Then everything comes together in a skillet with minced garlic, baby spinach and a little Parmesan cheese.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You only need 9 ingredients. Raise your hand if you like a short ingredient list. It’s even better when the prep work is simple too like it is in this recipe.
Roasted spaghetti squash is a hearty and satisfying vegetarian main dish. When you roast spaghetti squash, you get a vegetable version of pasta. All you have to do is add a few other elements, and you end up with a veggie-packed dinner.
It makes the most of the overlap of summer and fall produce. This is the magical time of the year when it seems like everything is in season at the farmers market at the same time. Of all the shoulder seasons, summer-fall is the most special one.
Leftovers reheat really well in the microwave. That’s one of the best things about this dish and my southwestern spaghetti squash recipe.
The Ingredients
This is what you need:
- Spaghetti squash can vary in size. You want one that’s about 3-1/2 pounds. You can buy 2 smaller squash to get to that weight too.
- Tomatoes: I use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. These are my favorite tomatoes to roast because then when you combine them with something else, whether that’s squash or pasta, they hold their shape for the most part.
- Baby spinach: I take advantage of the heat from the squash threads in the skillet to wilt the spinach rather than sautéing the greens on their own.
- Garlic: I sauté a minced garlic clove in the skillet before adding the roasted squash.
- Parmesan: After I fold both the spinach and roasted tomatoes into the squash, I finish the dish with Parmesan cheese.
- Olive oil: For the best taste, use extra virgin olive oil.
- Red pepper flakes, kosher salt & black pepper season the squash and tomatoes before they roast.
How To Make This Roasted Spaghetti Squash Recipe
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
1. Prep the spaghetti squash. Slice it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the cut sides with oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Put the squash cut-side down on one of the sheet pans.
2. Roast the squash. Give it 40-45 minutes. The squash should be so tender that you can easily pierce it with a knife. When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to comb out the flesh.
3. Prep the tomatoes. Toss them with oil, salt and pepper and arrange them cut side up in a single layer.
4. Roast the tomatoes. They will be ready in 25-30 minutes, so less time than the squash. The tomatoes should be wrinkled, but juicy in the middle.
5. Sauté the garlic. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet and then add the minced garlic. It only needs 30 seconds.
6. Stir the roasted spaghetti squash into the garlic in the pan.
7. Fold in the spinach. The heat from squash will gently soften the greens.
8. Stir in the roasted tomatoes and finish with Parmesan.
Serving
This roasted spaghetti squash recipe is great for a vegetarian main dish. You can serve it with a salad such as this simple arugula salad, this better-than-a-restaurant house salad or this kale quinoa salad for even more greens.
Find more roasted vegetable ideas in my seasonal roundup with everything from vegetarian mains to easy side dishes and meal prep tips.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Spinach
Ingredients
For spaghetti squash
- 1 spaghetti squash, about 3-1/2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
For tomatoes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For spinach
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 ounces baby spinach
- Shaved or grated Parmesan for serving
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the cut sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and red pepper flakes. Place the squash cut-side down on one of the baking sheets. Roast for 40-45 minutes until the squash can be easily pierced with a knife.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork remove the flesh.
- On the other sheet pan, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Arrange the tomatoes, so they are cut side up. Roast them for 25-30 minutes until they are wrinkled, but still juicy in the middle.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the garlic until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir the spaghetti squash into the sautéed garlic.
- Then fold in spinach giving it a couple minutes to wilt.
- Gently stir in the roasted tomatoes. Top with grated parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Making this again!
Delicious, making again!
I made this for my lunch (and meal prep) today after doing my treadmill workout. I was able to make it in about 15 minutes because I had pre-cooked spaghetti squash and roasted tomatoes (from last year’s garden) in my freezer and spinach is always in my house. So, when I found this recipe this morning, I pulled the ingredients out of the freezer to thaw. I did add 1/2 of a rotisserie chicken breast for some added protein and am looking forward to having this for lunch a few more times. It was very tasty and I will definitely be making it again. Thanks for the recipe!
Delish thank you! Your dishes always look beautiful!